the Waters were turned into Blood And that Calamity was not so universal neither being only in the River and some think only near the Court as this Murrain which was all over the Country and did them a far greater Mischief But having accustomed himself to do evil he grew still more obstinate and hardned in Pride and Covetousness For he doth not so much as pray to be delivered from this Plague which had done all the Execution he thought that was designed and he intended perhaps to repair his loss out of the Flocks and Herds of the Israelites which haply might make him less affected with this wonder than he had been with some of the former Ver. 8. And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron The former Plague having so little moved his proud and stubborn heart the Lord instantly without any further Message to him as being now in Process of Sentence says Dr. Jackson commands them to bring another Judgment upon the Egyptians more dreadful and noysom than any of the rest had been Take to you handfuls of Ashes of the Furnace In which Pharaoh had made them labour IV Deut. 20. which moved God to punish him and his People with this Plague for their cruel usage of his People there And let Moses sprinkle it The Jews think God imployed him only in Executing this Judgment being much heavier than all the foregoing But both he and Aaron being commanded to take Ashes in the words foregoing as we read they did v. 10. it is more probable they both sprinkled and so the meaning is let Moses as well as Aaron sprinkle it Towards Heaven To show that the Plague came from thence In the sight of Pharaoh That he might be convinced of it Ver. 9. And it shall become small dust in all the Land of Egypt c. Instead of these Ashes which they threw up into the Air there came down a small Sleet as we call it like that of Snow or the Hoar-frost which scalded the Flesh of Man and Beast and raised a Blister in every part upon which it fell The Poison of which penetrating into the Flesh made sore swellings like those we now call Bubo's Insomuch that as Philo understood it L. I. de Vita Mosis they were full of Blotches from Head to Foot Certain it is that the Hebrew word Schechni signifies an Inflammation that made a Tumor or Bile as we translate the word XIII Levit. 18 19. which turned into such a grievous Ulcer that Moses speaks of it afterwards as an unusual Plague which he calls the Botch of Egypt XXVIII Deut. 27. Dr. Lightfoot indeed observes that in the Book of Job II. 7 8. it signifies only a burning Itch or an inflamed Scab an intolerable dry Itch which his Nails could not scratch off but he was glad to make use of a Potsherd to scrub himself But then he confesses that this Schechni here spoken of was higher than that having Blains and Boils that broke out with it which Job's had not So that the Egyptians he thinks were vexed with a double Punishment at once aking Boils and a fiery Itch. But our Interpreters take it otherwise and say that Job also was smote with Boils which in conclusion perhaps had a Scab that itched very much Ver. 10. And they took Ashes of the Furnace c. This Plague was inflicted about the third Day of the seventh Month according to Archbishop Vsher's Computation who thinks it probable as many others do that from hence the Tale was spread among the Heathens that the Egyptians drove the Israelites out of Egypt because they were Scabby lest the Infection should spread all over the Country For they endeavoured in future Ages to make it be believed that what befel themselves was a Plague upon the Israelites Ver. 11. And the Magicians could not stand before Moses because of the Boils c. This Plague seized on them as well as the rest of the Egyptians and that in the Presence of Pharaoh as these words seem to import which perfectly confounded them For though since the Plague of Lice which they could not counterfeit we read of no attempt they ventured to make to vie Miracles with Moses and Aaron yet they still continued about Pharaoh it appears from this place and endeavoured to settle him in his Resolution not to let Israel go perswading him perhaps that though Moses for the present had found out some Secret beyond their skill they should at last be too hard for him But now being on a sudden smote with these Ulcers they were so amazed that we do not find they appeared again to look Moses in the face For now as the Apostle speaks their Folly was manifested to all Men 1 Tim. III. 8 9. In that they could not defend themselves from this terrible stroke whick publickly seizing on them before Moses in the sight of Pharaoh and all his Servants rendred them so contemptible that we never hear more of them Ver. 12. And the LORD hardned the heart of Pharaoh c. If we suppose that the Magicians who had hitherto confirmed Pharaoh in his obstinacy were forced to withdraw in great Confusion when they were smitten with the Boils one would have thought the next thing we should have heard would have been that Pharaoh relented But here is not the least token of that mentioned in this History but rather the express contrary that God was so angry with him that he himself hardned his heart which he had never done before This hardning therefore which is said to be God's doing was something sure very extraordinary Yet it was not an infusion of any bad Qualities or ungodly Resolutions into Pharaoh's heart but only that God did not vouchsafe him those Convictions that might have softned him and gave him up to his own hearts lusts and likewise ordered things so to fall out that he should hereafter be made by them more and more obdurate For he had hardned himself against five Plagues therefore God leaves him to himself and resolves he shall continue in his hardness Accordingly he doth not so much as desire to be freed from this Plague no more than he had done in the former which was nothing so grievous The effect of such Induration is well expressed by Dav. Chytraeus in these words Cor induratum est quod nec compunctione scinditur c. An hardned heart is neither cut by Compunction nor softned by any sense of Piety It is neither moved by Prayers and Intreaties nor yields to Threatnings nor feels the smart of Scourges It is ungrateful for Benefits treacherous to Counsels sullen to Judgments shameless to things most base fearless of Dangers For getful of things past negligent of things present improvident for the future In short it neither fears God nor reverences Man As the LORD had spoken unto Moses The Margin of our Bible directs the Reader to IV. 21. where God saith I will harden c. See there and III. 19. And observe
Warning of their Danger that they might avoid it Ver. 20. He that feared the Word of the LORD among the Servants of Pharaoh c. That which is opposed to this in the next Verse is He that set not his heart unto the Word of the LORD or as we translate it regarded it not i. e. did not attend to what was said and done by Moses and seriously consider it Unto which the fear of God moves all those who are possessed with it and serious consideration will not fail to work in Men the fear of God and of his Judgments Ver. 21. And he that regarded not the word of the LORD c. This was the Cause of the Ruin of all that perished they did not set themselves to consider the irresistible Power of him who inflicted such terrible Judgments upon them as Moses threatned For at last they grew so stupid that they could not consider but were perfectly infatuated Ver. 22. And the LORD said unto Moses stretch forth thy hand With his Rod in it as it is explained in the next Verse and as he had directed on other occasions VIII 16 17. where it is said Aaron stretched out his and with his Rod. Towards Heaven To show the Plague was sent from God That there may be Hail on all the Land of Egypt c. Here he more fully expresses the Damage it would do both to Men and Beasts and to the Herb of the Field which comprehends all the Trees v. 25. Ver. 23. And Moses stretched forth his Rod. Sometimes Aaron did it but it was at the Command of Moses and as his Minister who sometimes did it himself and was Commanded by God so to do v. 22. He gave warning of this Plague about the fourth Day of the VIIth Month and inflicted it upon the fifth and removed it the sixth The Author of The Life and Death of Moses fancies that God sent this Plague to punish the Egyptians for the drudgery they imposed upon the Israelites in making them till their Fields for them And the LORD sent Thunder and Hail c. It was no wonder there should be Thunder but the Claps of this were far more terrible than any that had been heard before in that Country As the Hall also was more ponderous and came down with a greater force and was mixed with Fire Which the Author of the Book of Wisdom observes Chap. XVI as a thing unusual And herein consisted the miraculousness of this Plague That whereas other Storms of Hail generally reach but a little way sometimes not a Mile this spread it self over the whole Country v. 25. And Flashes of Lightning were not only mingled with it but Fire ran upon the Ground and killed their Cattle LXXVIII Psal 48. when at the same time all the Land of Goshen though a part of that Country felt nothing of this Storm v. 26. And the LORD rained Hail upon the Land of Egypt This is repeated to show that it fell as thick as Rain and was not a meer showr but a continual Hail and that this was the principal part of this Plague being alone mentioned v. 22. and 26. where nothing is said of Thunder or Fire and put in the first place by the Psalmist both in LXXVIII 48. and CV 32. Ver. 25. And the Hail smote c. That is killed every Man and Beast that was in the Field v. 19. And smote every Herb and broke every Tree of the Field Especially their Vines and Figtrees as the Psalmist tells us LXXVIII 47. CV 33. Very great Hailstones have fall'n in several Countries some of a prodigious bigness as credible Historians relate whereby some living Creatures have here and there been killed but none ever made such a general destruction as this Storm did Yet we are not to understand it as if no green thing escaped nor a Bough of any Tree was left but the meaning is that a great many of every kind were destroyed though some as appears by the following Chapter still remained Ver. 26. Only in the Land of Goshen c. So that the Egyptians that lived among them fared the better it is thought at this time for their sake Ver. 27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron This is no more than he had done several times before VIII 8 25. but it may seem strange he should do it now after the LORD had hardned his heart The clearest account of it is that he acted now as a Man distracted and frighted out of his Wits which made him rave and cry out for help in very passionate words without any serious meaning I have sinned this time c. The meaning is not that he had not sinned before but I now acknowledge my Offence and the Justice of God in punishing the wickedness of me and of my People Which Confession doth not argue any tenderness of heart but was extorted by the horrible Fright he was in of being undone if he did not make some Submission Ver. 27. Intreat the LORD for it is enough Or beseech him that what I have already suffered may suffice That there be no more mighty Thundrings and Hail The words import frightful Claps of Thunder which sounded as if God was angry with them especially since the Hail fell like Thunder-bolts upon their Heads and struck those down that walkt abroad This was the reason that he begg'd their Prayers For he and his Servants could not always continue within Doors and while the Hail lasted there was no Safety abroad And I will let you go Not quite away but three days Journey into the Wilderness as they desired And ye shall stay no longer He promises to dismiss them immediately Ver. 29. And Moses said unto him as soon as I am gone out of the City By this he demonstrated the great Power of God who he knew would protect him from receiving any harm by the Thunder Lightning and Hail which killed all others that went abroad into the Fields I will spread forth my hands unto the LORD This was an ancient Posture of Supplication in all Nations as many Learned Men have shown whereby Men declared that God is the Giver of all good things and that they hoped to receive Help from him For our Hands are the Instruments whereby we receive any Gift that is bestowed upon us That thou mayest know how that the Earth is the LORD's Have a demonstration which was sufficient to make him know that the LORD governs all things as appeared by the ceasing of this dreadful storm upon Moses his Prayers to God as well as by the powring of it in such violence upon them Ver. 30. But as for thee and thy Servants I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God The generality of the Court he knew would continue as obstinate as their Prince though some of them had some sense of God and of his Judgments as we read v. 20. Ver. 31. And the Flax and the Barley were smitten
not come to attend upon the daily Sacrifice which was offered for them and so to meet with God here and yet it was a Maxim among them That no Man's Sacrifice was accepted unless he was present at it therefore there were certain select Persons chosen to wait upon God in the Name of all the rest and there were XXIV Classes of them as of the Priests in David's time called by the Jews Stationary men who never missed when their Course came to attend upon the Divine Majesty at the Tabernacle as the Representatives of all their Brethren Concerning which see Pet Cunaeus L. II. de Repub. Jud. cap. 10. and our Learned Dr. Lightfoot in his Temple Service Chap. 7. Sect. 3. I will sanctifie both Aaron and his Sons to minister to me in the Priests Office He declared them to be sanctified to be his Priests by the appearance of his glory at their first Sacrifice after their Solemn Consecration and by Fire coming from Heaven to consume their Burnt-offering IX Lev. 23 24. Ver. 45. And I will dwell among the Children of Israel The Chaldee renders it I will place my Divinity i.e. the SCHECHINAH among them In the Hebrew it is in the midst of them for the Tabernacle was situated in the very middle of their Camp while they were in the Wilderness II Numb 17. And will be their God Bestow special Blessings upon them such as he did not vouchsafe to other People Ver. 46. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God that brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt that I may dwell among them By his special Favours toward them it was evidently manifested to them that he brought them out of the Slavery of Egypt to make them a select People unto himself among whom he setled his Habitation and appeared by a most glorious Symbol of his Presence to be in the midst of them I am the LORD their God How could they doubt of it when they remembred in what a wonderful manner he had brought them out of Egypt and what they had heard him declare from his own mouth at Mount Sinai XX. 2. CHAP. XXX Verse 1. AND thou shalt make an Altar to burn Incense upon This is commonly called the golden Altar upon which sweet Incense was as constantly burnt every day as the Morning and Evening Sacrifice of a Lamb before-mentioned XXIX 38 39. was offered at the Brazen Altar Of Shittim-wood shalt thou make it See XXV 5. Ver. 2. A Cubit shall be the length thereof and a Cubit the breadth thereof foursquare shall it be It was a Square of not much more than half a yard because it served only to offer Incence upon twice a day and had no other use And two Cubits shall be the height thereof It was a high again as it was broad that the Priest might minister there without stooping The Horns thereof shall be of the same At each corner there was a Spire rising out of the same piece with the corner Post See XXVII 2. Ver. 3. And thou shalt overlay it with pure Gold c. The top of it and the Frame on all sides with the Horns were to be covered with Plates of Gold as the Table was XXV 24. The top thereof The Vulgar Latin translating the Hebrew word gag by craticula hath led many into a a conceit that there was a Grate upon this Altar as there was upon the other But as the word for that is quite different viz. michar so there is not the least mention here made of cleansing this Altar from the Ashes or of any thing to receive them and therefore Fortunatus Scacchus ingenuously acknowledges there was no Grate on this Altar but a golden Pan or Dish was set upon the top of it as we translate it rightly with Coals therein when Incense was to be burnt and taken away with the Coals when that was done And thou shalt make unto it a Crown of Gold round about A border of Gold which went about the brim or edge of it See there XXV 24. This seems to have been made of massy Gold not of Shittim-wood overlaid with Gold Ver. 4. And two golden Rings shalt thou make to it under the Crown of it The golden Crown arose upward above the Table and these Rings were fixed below it By the two corners thereof upon the two sides thereof shalt thou make them On each side of the Altar near the Corners of it were these golden Rings annexed at each of the four corners one And they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal This shows the use of the Rings Ver. 5. And thou shalt make the staves of Shittim-wood and overlay them with Gold Just like the Staves for the carriage of the Ark and the Table XXV 13 28. Ver. 6. And thou shalt put it before the Vail In the midst of the House between the Candlestick and the Table though not just between but something higher towards the Vail where it was placed directly before the most Holy Place That is by the Ark of the Testimony See 25.22 Before the Mercy-seat Towards which the Priest looked when he offered Incense recommending to God the People and their Prayers which they were making without while he burnt Incense within There is no ground to think that this Altar stood in the most Holy Place as St. Austin and some others have conceived for these words are a plain demonstration to the contrary See Cunaeus L. II. de Repub. Jud. c. 5. That is over the Testimony That is the Ark which is here simply called the Testimony as it is v. 36. because it was the principal thing in the Ark XL. 20. See XXV 22. Where I will meet with thee Though Aaron and his Sons might go no further than the Holy Place except only once a year when Aaron alone went into the most Holy to offer Incense before the Mercy-seat yet Moses had the priviledge to consult the Divine Majesty in the most Holy Place where the Divine Glory shined as these words and XXV 22. VII Numb ult seem to intimate For since he was admitted into the Mount as P. Cunaeas argues in the place before-mentioned to speak with God face to face for many days together it is not unreasonable to think that he was admitted to speak with him upon occasion in the most holy place in the Tabernacle Ver. 7. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet Incense He did it at first but afterwards his Sons in their courses performed this Service as appears from I Luke 8 9. where Zacharias who was not High Priest offered the Incense when it came to his turn according to the custom of the Priest's Office Sweet Incense For it was a compound of several Spices which were very fragrant as appears by the latter end of this Chapter Every morning when he dresseth the Lamps At the rising of the Sun the Priests went in to look after the Lamps which they had lighted in the